By Glory Przekop

Local celebrations planned for National Indigenous Peoples Day

Jun 20, 2018 | 11:36 AM

A number of events are planned to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day on Thursday.

A noon celebration of the summer solstice pipe ceremony kicks off the gathering at the Friendship Centre followed by family-friendly activities and a talent show in the evening,

“One of the things we find in Grande Prairie is that there is not a lot of access to things like this (pipe ceremony) for Indigenous people to take part in so that is why we wanted to have the Traditional Path Society come in and show us how to do that and open it up to the public to be a part of it as well,” said spokesperson Maureen Laboucan.

“As a young Aboriginal woman growing up, we didn’t have much opportunities like this to be proud of who we are, and I think June 21st is our day to say this is who we are, and this is our culture, and this is what we have to offer.”

Schools in the Peace Wapiti School Division will be celebrating as well with Grades 4-6 students at Penson School participating in a Blanket Exercise while students at Teepee Creek School taking part in traditional Indigenous games of the Dene Tha First Nation.

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Sunday starting at 1 p.m. at Muskoseepi Park, activities are planned to celebrate the Indigenous Culture, “In the Spirit of Reconciliation.”